Too little too late for Portugal

Associated Press

Published 9:17 pm, Thursday, June 26, 2014

Photo: Martin Mejia

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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between Portugal and Ghana at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, June 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) ORG XMIT: WCTH155 less

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between Portugal and Ghana at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, June 26, 2014. (AP ... more

Photo: Martin Mejia

Too little too late for Portugal

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Brasilia, Brazil

Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his mark at the World Cup — but it came too late to spare Portugal an early exit from Brazil.

The world Player of the Year broke his scoring drought at the tournament with an 80th-minute winner in Portugal's 2-1 victory over Ghana on Thursday.

That result, however, left the Portuguese even with the United States at four points in Group G, but with an inferior goal difference to the second-place Americans, who lost 1-0 to Germany in Recife. Ghana also was eliminated, finishing at the bottom of the group.

"We knew we had to score three goals and were depending on the result of the Germany game and we couldn't do that," Ronaldo said after his most lively performance of the tournament.

"We deserved more, but that's football. We are leaving with our heads held high."

Ronaldo barely celebrated after slamming home his goal with his left foot, giving Portugal its first win after a 4-0 loss to Germany and 2-2 draw with the U.S.

By that time, the Portuguese still needed a three-goal swing to move above the Americans and even though Ronaldo was presented with two more great chances in injury time at Estadio Nacional, his team was always going to fall short.

"We created many opportunities but we could not finish them," said Ronaldo, who was voted man of the match in a bittersweet ending to the World Cup.

Ghana captain Asamaoh Gyan's 57th-minute header canceled out an own goal scored by teammate John Boye in the 31st, and at that stage it was the African side that was closer to qualifying.

A 2-1 victory would have put Ghanaians through but Majeed Waris' headed chance that he planted wide of the post in the 60th minute was the only genuine opening they created before Ronaldo's sucker-punch.

The result brought to an end a typically eventful few weeks in Brazil for the Ghanaians, who were part of thrilling games against the United States and Germany before their campaign ended in turmoil on and off the pitch.

Their players took to the field in the Brazilian capital amid a dispute with the country's football federation over alleged unpaid World Cup bonuses. Adding to the chaos, two of the team's star players — Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng — were booted out of the squad hours before Thursday's kickoff for disciplinary reasons.

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